Isabella Carter
The French Constitution of 1791 was the first written constitution in France. It was created after the collapse of the absolute monarchy of the Ancien Régime. The constitution was drafted by the National Constituent Assembly and passed in September 1791. It lasted less than a year.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Constitution of 1791 |
| Duration | Less than a year |
| Type | First written constitution in France |
| Creation | Drafted by a committee of the National Assembly |
| Adoption | September 1791 |
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What You'll Learn
- The French Constitution of 1791 was the first written constitution in France
- It was created by the National Assembly during the French Revolution
- It retained the monarchy, but sovereignty resided in the Legislative Assembly
- It lasted less than a year
- It was inspired by Enlightenment theories and foreign political systems
The French Constitution of 1791 was the first written constitution in France
The constitution was passed in September 1791. It was reluctantly accepted by King Louis XVI, who was retitled as "King of the French". The constitution redefined the organisation of the French government, citizenship and the limits to the powers of government. It abolished many "institutions which were injurious to liberty and equality of rights". The National Assembly asserted its legal presence in French government by establishing its permanence in the Constitution and forming a system for recurring elections.
The constitution retained the monarchy, but sovereignty effectively resided in the Legislative Assembly, which was elected by a system of indirect voting. The franchise was restricted to "active" citizens who paid a minimal sum in taxes; about two-thirds of adult men had the right to vote for electors and to choose certain local officials directly.
By the time it was adopted, however, the new constitution was already outdated, overtaken by the events of the revolution and growing political radicalism. It lasted less than a year.
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It was created by the National Assembly during the French Revolution
The first French constitution was created by the National Assembly during the French Revolution. It was the first of several attempts to create a written constitution for France. The constitution was drafted by a committee of the National Assembly, a group of moderates who hoped to create a better form of royal government rather than something radically new. The Assembly delegated the task of drafting the constitution to a special constitutional committee. It began in July 1789 by debating the structure the new political system should have.
The constitution was passed in September 1791, but by then it was already outdated, overtaken by the events of the revolution and growing political radicalism. It retained the monarchy, but sovereignty effectively resided in the Legislative Assembly, which was elected by a system of indirect voting. The franchise was restricted to “active” citizens who paid a minimal sum in taxes; about two-thirds of adult men had the right to vote for electors and to choose certain local officials directly.
The constitution lasted less than a year. It redefined the organisation of the French government, citizenship and the limits to the powers of government. The National Assembly set out to represent the interests of the general will. It abolished many “institutions which were injurious to liberty and equality of rights”. The Assembly's belief in a sovereign nation and in equal representation can be seen in the constitutional separation of powers.
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It retained the monarchy, but sovereignty resided in the Legislative Assembly
The French Constitution of 1791 was the first written constitution in France, created after the collapse of the absolute monarchy of the Ancien Régime. It was drafted by the National Assembly, a group of moderates who hoped to create a better form of royal government rather than something radically new. The constitution retained the monarchy, but sovereignty effectively resided in the Legislative Assembly, which was elected by a system of indirect voting. The franchise was restricted to "active" citizens who paid a minimal sum in taxes; about two-thirds of adult men had the right to vote for electors and to choose certain local officials directly.
The constitution was reluctantly accepted by King Louis XVI in September 1791. It redefined the organisation of the French government, citizenship and the limits to the powers of government. The National Assembly set out to represent the interests of the general will and believed in a sovereign nation and in equal representation, as seen in the constitutional separation of powers. The Assembly's legal presence in French government was asserted by establishing its permanence in the Constitution and forming a system for recurring elections.
The constitution retitled Louis XVI as "King of the French", granted him a reduced civil list, allowed him to select and appoint ministers and gave him a suspensive veto power. However, by the time it was adopted, the new constitution was already outdated, overtaken by the events of the revolution and growing political radicalism. It lasted less than a year.
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It lasted less than a year
The French Constitution of 1791 was the first written constitution in France. It was created by the National Assembly during the French Revolution and lasted less than a year.
The constitution was the first of several attempts to create a written constitution for France. It was drafted by a committee of the National Assembly, a group of moderates who hoped to create a better form of royal government rather than something radically new. The Assembly's belief in a sovereign nation and in equal representation can be seen in the constitutional separation of powers. The constitution retained the monarchy, but sovereignty effectively resided in the Legislative Assembly, which was elected by a system of indirect voting.
The franchise was restricted to "active" citizens who paid a minimal sum in taxes; about two-thirds of adult men had the right to vote for electors and to choose certain local officials directly. The constitution retitled Louis XVI as "King of the France", granted him a reduced civil list, allowed him to select and appoint ministers and gave him a suspensive veto power.
By the time it was adopted in the autumn of 1791, the new constitution was already outdated, overtaken by the events of the revolution and growing political radicalism.
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It was inspired by Enlightenment theories and foreign political systems
The first French Constitution was created in 1791 and lasted less than a year. It was inspired by Enlightenment theories and foreign political systems. It was drafted by a committee of the National Assembly, a group of moderates who hoped to create a better form of royal government rather than something radically new. The Assembly believed in a sovereign nation and in equal representation, which can be seen in the constitutional separation of powers. The constitution retained the monarchy, but sovereignty effectively resided in the Legislative Assembly, which was elected by a system of indirect voting. The franchise was restricted to “active” citizens who paid a minimal sum in taxes; about two-thirds of adult men had the right to vote for electors and to choose certain local officials directly. The Assembly also asserted its legal presence in the French government by establishing its permanence in the Constitution and forming a system for recurring elections.
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Frequently asked questions
Less than a year.
September 1791.
The Constitution of 1791.
Adopting constitutionality and establishing popular sovereignty.
The organisation of the French government, citizenship and the limits to the powers of government.
